Molding machine



NOV. 6, 1934. M, PL 1,979,581

I MOLDING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 20, 1933 EVANS M. STAPLES SnnentotGttorneg Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,979,581 MOLDING MACHINEEvans M. Staples, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Aluminum Industries,Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Original application October 20, 1933, Serial No.694,439. Divided and this application March 17, 1934, Serial No. 716,109

7 Claims.

The present application is a division of my co-pending application,Serial No. 694,439 filed October 20, 1933.

This invention relates to a machine for casting long narrow objects.More specifically, it relates to means for preparing a sand mold for acasting operation by forcing a pattern, in this instance made barshaped, while vibrating same, into the packed molding sand, and thenwithdrawing the bar or pattern.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a machine forcasting bars, espeially in bronze, and other alloys or metals whichcannot be conveniently worked (but permissibly in other metals such assteel.)

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the molding machine and sectionally of theflask containing 20. sand, and before closing the flask.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the flask top board clampedin place and the pattern at the furthest extent of the stroke.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the pattern withdrawn and theresultant mold cavity.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the flask with a pouring cup added,the assembly being in tilted position for pouring the casting.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the molding machine taken along the line5-5 of Fig. 3, this view showing the arrangement of the bar vibratingmeans.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of thatportion of the molding machine lyingbetween the vertical arr rows on Fig. 3. It shows in detail the vibratorand pattern construction.

In the drawing, 41 is a flask containing molding sand 11, which isindicated by stippling. The structure shown to the right of the flask isfor the purpose of forcing the pattern 12, thru the sand while that onthe left side is merely for holding the flask against the pressurecreated by the pattern, 13 and 14 are strong uprights, 13 being anchoredto the floor, while 14 is movable laterally. 15 is a toggle, thefunction of which is to hold the flask in place against a strippingplate .10, in which an opening 1'7 is presented which is in alignmentwith the pattern 12. Alignment or slide bar 16 fits in a blind 1101a 18in the stripping plate 10, by

a driving fit so that the bar and plate are practically integral.

The function of the alignment or slide bar 16 is to guide the patternand the pattern head i oscillating mechanism 20. 22 is the frame of thelatter, this frame fitting about slide bar 16 and being slidablethereon.

' The motivating force for pushing pattern 12 is derived from ahorizontal hydraulic cylinder 19. This is of conventional design, sothat its oil connections are not shown. Pattern 12 is connected to thecylinder piston rod 12a (Fig.

2) which is shown as of larger diameter. The alignment bar 16 extendsoutwardly from the base of cylinder 19 parallel to the pattern 12, while20 is a vibrating mechanism carried by both bar 16 and the cylinderpiston rod. Mechanism 20 is slidable on the bar 16 so that the latterserves the double function of aligning the plate 10 and holding thevibrating mech- 7 anism upright. The means by which the vibratingmechanism 20 can be slid along bar 16 is a cylindrical bearing 21carried in the frame 22 of the said mechanism. It will be observed thatthe frame 22 is carried along by the piston rod, but slidably mounted onalignment bar 16.

The pattern 12 is not solid but comprises an inner solid bar 32 which issurrounded by a tube 22. The latter at its outer extremity has fittedinto it a pointed solid oscillating head 34 hav- 80. ing a cylindricalrear portion 34c which is provided on its inner end with a recess (notshown) to receive the outer end of bar 32. A cross hold 35 is providedin both of these for the reception of a pin (not shown) to hold themtogether. At the inner end of bar 12 (the right hand and on Fig. 6) theconstruction is similar, a recess is provided in the end of the T head30 to receive the end of the bar 32 and a hole 36 is provided throughboth for the reception of a pin (not shown) to hold them together. Thehollow cylindrical rear portion 34b is of a diameter adapted to allow itto slide within the tube 33 up to the limit set by the shoulder 34a. Theouter contour of tube 33 is that of the desired mold cavity,consequently the said outer contour is not limited to a cylindricalshape.

The vibrating mechanism itself comprises the above mentioned frame 22,an electric motor 23 mounted above it, a pulley 24 on the motor, apulley 25 on the side of the frame, and a belt 26 transmitting powerfrom the motor to the latter pulley.

Referring now to Fig. 5, pulley 25 is keyed to an eccentric shaft 27which is mounted in the frame 22 crosswise thereof In the middle of thisshaft are carried two connecting rods 28 and 29 which together form aclevis in the arms of which the T head 30 of the oscillating head rod 32is hung so that its cylindrical ends are no free to oscillate in theextremities of the clevis. A pin 31 is provided to hold parts 28 and 29together. These details are shown in Fig. 6.

Pattern head 34 is thus connected to the actuating bar 32 within thepatterns so as to have a bearing within the latter when oscillated. Inthis way a bearing surface is provided which is fairly well protectedagainst the entrance of sand particles. Actuating bar 32 is in turnconneoted to the oscillatable T head by a pin through hole 36 and thehead is in turn attached to connecting rods 28 and 29 by pin 31. Patterntube 33 is clamped to a cylindrical extension 38 of the T head by meansof a ring 37 welded to the outside of the tube. This ring also protectsthe edge of the tube 33 against splitting. Extension 38 is oscillatablewithin tube 33 which forms a bearing for said extension.

In operating the machine functions as follows and the casting stepsoccur in the following order:

Flask 41 is placed in position and toggle 15 is depressed, therebyholding the flask against the stripping plate and holding it rigidly.Flask 41 filled with sand and rammed lightly, after which the mold cover38 is placed in position and clamped. I

Electric motor 23 is now energized and the hydraulic pump (not shown)started. The hydraulic valve (not shown) is then opened to advancepattern 12 and vibrating mechanism 20.

Rotation of eccentric shaft 27 by pulley 25 now imparts a back and forthvibratory motion to pattern head 34, assisting its passage into the sandbox 41 by a hammer action. This action is brought about by the rotationof shaft 27 in members 28 and 29of the clevis, which transmits themotion to the bar 32 and so to the pointed head34.

After the pattern 12 has reached its extreme position as shown in Fig.2, the hydraulic valve is reversed and the pattern withdrawn to theposition shown in Fig. 3. The vibratory action is preferably stoppedduring this retraction.

1 Toggle is then lifted upward and the flask taken out and tilted at anangle between 5 and 60,", preferably A gate 39 contained within apouring cup 40 is attached to the end of the flask 41 from whichstripping plate 10 has been removed. Pouring is now done through gate39.

Since the sand is highly compressed along the path of pattern 12, itfollows that bars of even diameter maybe cast.

Not only bars, but other castings which are much longer than they arewide, can be made by this method. To do so, the bar 12 is replaced by adifferent shaped pattern of the shape that it is desired to reproduce.

It is to be understood that my machine can be made in the so-called gangtype, i. e. to ram several molds at once by having one hydrauliccylinder actuate several patterns which are attached to a header. Anycompetent mechanical engineer can, in view of this disclosuresuccessfully design such a gang type machine.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a molding machine, means for forcing a pattern into a flask oflightly packed moldingsand, a patternwhich is adapted to be sorammed,',an oscillatable head on said pattern reception of a pattern anda recess for the reand means for oscillating said pattern head along theaxis of pattern travel.

2. In a molding machine, a hydraulic cylinder, a pattern actuablethereby to travel along the lengthwise axis of said cylinder, anoscillatable head on said pattern and oscillating means carried by saidpattern, capable of imparting to said pattern head an oscillating motionalong the longer axis thereof.

3. In a molding machine, a hydraulic cylinder, a pattern actuablethereby to travel along the lengthwise axis of said cylinder, anoscillatable head carried by said pattern, and oscillating means carriedby said pattern capable of imparting to said head an oscillating motionalong the longer axis thereof, said oscillating means includinganelectric motor and an eccentrically mounted shaft, said pattern headbeing actuatable by said shaft.

4. In a molding machine, a hydraulic cylinder, a pattern actuablethereby to travel along the lengthwise axis of said cylinder and apattern head carried thereby, means for maintaining the alignment ofsaid pattern, an oscillating means carried byv said pattern, connectedto the head thereof said means comprising an electric motor, aneccentric shaft driven by said motor, clevis forming connecting rods onsaid shaft, an oscillatable T head carried by the open end of saidclevis and means jointing the single end of the T head with the innerend of the pattern whereby lengthwise oscillating motion may betransmitted to the said pattern head.

5. In combination a flask, a stripping plate therefor, and a horizontalhydraulic molding machine, the latter comprising an alignment baradapted to preserve alignment and distance between the stripping plateand the molding machine, said plate having also an opening for theception of the aligning bar and a pair of strong uprights, the outer onebeing anchored to the floor, a toggle controlling the inner upright, thelatter abutting the outer end of the flask.

6. In combination a flask, a stripping plate therefor, and a hydraulicmolding machine, the latter comprising a pattern adapted to be forcedinto the flask, an alignment bar adapted to preserve alignment betweenthe stripping plate and the molding machine, the said bar and saidpattern jointly carrying means for vibrating the head of the patternalong its axis of advance, said stripping plate having an opening forthe reception of the pattern and a recess for the reception of thealigning bar, said bar being fitted into said recess.

7. In a hydraulically actuable molding machine of the type in which thepattern is forced into a flask of molding sand, a pointed pattern head,a tube surrounding said pattern head and forming a bearing therefor, abar within said tube, said bar being connected to said pattern head,means adapted to impart simultaneous forward motion to the pattern as awhole and means adapted to impart a longitudinal oscillatory motion tosaid head thru said bar, one member of said latter means beingsurrounded by said tube and assisting in the support of the rearward endof said tube.

EVANS M. STAPLES.

